Your Salad Is Trying To Kill You

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Published on July 13, 2015 6:16:44 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ofgj2KDbfk

Duration: 6:23

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The dose makes the poison…
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↓ More info and sources below ↓

CORRECTION: @2:14 we showed the wrong Paul Ehrlich (guy on the left). Instead of Paul Ehrlich the German doctor, we meant to show Paul Ehrlich the biologist: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_R._Ehrlich

Plants are the most important source of nutrients for pretty much all of Earth's animals, and many of the planet's bacteria and fungi too. Humans like them so much that we line them up in salad bars so we can feast upon their crunchy cronch by the plate full.

But plants don't always want to be eaten, ya know? Here's a look at some of our favorite plant flavors and how they are actually a form of chemical warfare
We owe caterpillars for spicy mustard:
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/06/17/1503926112.abstract
http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2015/0622-genetic-study-of-co-evolution-could-provide-clues-to-better-food-production/

Overview of plant chemical defenses and what we use them for in the kitchen: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/OverviewOfPlantDiseases.aspx

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Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer
Joe Nicolosi - Director
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